Vincent Niclo: ‘Boys at school called me a girl because of my high-pitched voice – now look at me!’

In the second part of our interview, singer Vincent Niclo opens up about his troubled teenage years and how he is fearful of marriage.

Meet Vincent Niclo, the oh-so-charismatic and insanely talented French chanteur. If you haven’t heard of him yet, fear not, simply check out his sumptuous new album Romantique and get up to speed. Jam packed with a gorgeous selection of heart tugging romantic songs like Skyfall, She and Hurt, it is an album that might not change your life, but will make it feel a lot more magical.

As you’ll hear, the dashing singer is a dab hand at belting out a sweeping ballad about love, but when we met up with the handsome Vincent at Escargot in London’s Soho, we discovered to our surprise that his own romantic life is far from perfect.

You’re a hugely successful singer, handsome and seemingly well sorted. When you were a teenager, was life as easy?

Not really. When I was 13, I had a very tough time as my parents divorced. I had been a very happy child before and then when it happened I was very sad. But the music really helped me at this point as I threw myself into it. It was a way of making myself better. I when I was feeling very sad, I would sing, music was like a therapy for me. Actually it’s always been like this – I’s like that now. Its hard to explain. Some people go and see a psychotherapist. But for me I ghost lost in music. Some of the songs I sang had lyrics that spoke to me and they helped. They were cathartic.

With your interest in the arts and opera singing, did the boys at school give you a hard time?

I had so many remarks thrown at me. They called me a girl, they said I was crazy, not normal.

Why wild they say that?

Why because I was different. I was different, because… well, lets put it this way. These days my voice is my secret weapon. But back then, when I was a teenager, my voice was very high and squeaky. So people called me a girl. Even when I was on the phone people would think I was a girl because my voice was so high. Now my voice is my principal weapon ha!

Oh bless you.

But that was not all. My appearance was a disaster too. I was a bigger child back then. People didn’t look at me at all. No one had any romantic interest in me whatsoever. It also didn’t help that my hair looked like Playmobil or Lego.

Did it change?

Yes, when I had my hair cut in a modern style and I lost a little weight and the difference was immense. Then the girls liked me. But I was deeply sad because of the breakdown of my parents’ relationship.

Are your parents talking now?
Well, they have only started speaking again in the past few years, because of my music. I did a show at Olympia Hall in Paris. It is a very famous venue in the city, when you go there it is ‘wow’. When I first performed there, my parents were still not talking and I said to them, it’s time to find peace. This was a time when my brother wasn’t talking to my father, my father wasn’t talking to my mother, so I invited them ALL to come and watch me perform. And that night they spoke and were reunited. And now things are back to normal. Before that we never had a normal family Christmas, but for the past two years, I have had that normal Christmas I sought for so long! And I am very happy about that!

With the break up of your parents’ marriage, did that affect the way you yourself approach relationships?

I do not believe in relationships. No, let me say this. I believe in romance, but I think I am afraid of marriage because of what I have seen my parents as a couple go through, which was a disaster.

Have you had experiences when your relationships have worked?

I am single now, but yes I have been in relationships many times before and for years. But I have always gone into those relationships with the impression that it’s going to end. In my head I am thinking, let’s go with it because it’s good for now but I know one day it is going to end. And they leave because of me. I believe in love, but not love lasting.

Wow you should write songs about this…

It is sad.

Have you been let down by lovers or have you kind of sabotaged your relationships?

Both I think. You know what, I have never thought about it deeply until now.

Sorry, this is like therapy. Please lie back on the couch and open up!

Haha! Thank you, do I have to pay? Haha!

Just give us an album, that’ll be payment enough.

To be honest, I never thought about it before, maybe you are right. I think there is something broken in side of me. Whatever happens, I do my best to make it end. I don’t know.

You’re 41 this year, do you worry about being alone?

I have never thought about that. When I do music, I don’t feel alone. Having success I feel so much love. It’s a different kind of love, but for now music is my wife.

Just without the arguments.

I have a feeling my relationship with music will never end either. We will be together to the end.